Rural areas get £1.8m funding to boost regeneration in local villages

Councillor Brian Tierney, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council pictured with Mary Hunter, Chair of Derry and Strabane Rural Partnership (LAG) at the announcement that the regeneration of local villages has received a £1.8m regeneration boost. Included from left are, Linda White, DCSDC Rural Development Project Officer, Deirdre Harte, Programme Manager and Emma Quinn, Project Officer. Picture Martin McKeown.

The Village Renewal Scheme, delivered under Priority 6 (LEADER) of the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, is helping local communities to create new or refurbish existing play park facilities and develop new shared use walking and cycling pathways.

It will also deliver a range of environmental improvements that will contribute to the regeneration of civic facilities including new public spaces, landscaping, interpretation panels and welcome signage into the villages.

Speaking about the investment, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Brian Tierney, said; “Derry and Strabane Rural Partnership’s Village Renewal Scheme has allocated over £1.2m to help 13 local villages transform their recreational and leisure infrastructure to significantly boost physical activity and play in our rural areas – with Council providing match funding of over £500,000, bringing total investment up to nearly £1.8 million.

“The new play park provisions and green spaces will provide recreation and leisure facilities for children to play, walking and cycling routes for residents and visitors, and places for families and friends to come together, helping to improve the health and wellbeing of our local communities.

“The environmental improvements of a number of civic spaces will also help revitalise a number of villages and restore a sense of pride for local residents by making their communities more attractive as places to live.”

The funded projects include the £350,000 regeneration of semi-derelict land in Newtownstewart that has transformed the space into an attractive 3,000m2 play provision for the local community that caters for sensory and physical activities.

Newbuildings received £256,600 to enhance walking and exercise infrastructure for the community, as well as open space for hosting public events.

The Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme 2014-20 is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and the European Union (DAERA). The LEADER Fund is administered by Derry City and Strabane District Council on behalf of Derry and Strabane Rural Partnership.